The present invention is directed toward a body worn perch for supporting and carrying a bird and more particularly, toward a bird perch that is worn on a person's upper arm.
Bird owners or handlers often enjoy carrying their birds, especially parrots, on their shoulders or hands. Bird owners also carry their birds in order to train or show them. There are several problems, however, with carrying a bird on one's shoulders. For example, the bird tends to dig its claws into the person's shoulder in an effort to gain proper footing. Also, when the bird is close to the person's face there is a chance that the bird will peck, scratch, or bite the person's face, ears, head, etc. thereby causing pain or discomfort to the person.
If a bird is carried by a person in his or her hands, the bird may bite or scratch the person's hand. Also, the person cannot keep his or her hands free when carrying a bird. This may be uncomfortable or awkward for the person as well as for the bird. Furthermore, carrying a bird on the hand tends to be unsanitary with respect to bird droppings.
In order to overcome some of the problems discussed above, covers that protect one's shoulders have been designed and are available in the market. However, these covers do not prevent a bird from pecking at or biting the bird handler's face.
Using gloves while carrying a bird in one's hands is also a possible solution. But again, carrying a bird in one's hands may still be rather awkward and does not allow the person to use his or her hands for other purposes.
Other attempts to provide body worn carriers or perches for birds have been made. U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,126 to Schellenbach, for example, discloses a body mountable bird perch that includes a vest with a wooden perch secured to the vest. However, the perch is located on the person's shoulder so that the person's face, head, etc. are not protected from pecking or biting by the bird.
The Crystal Parrot (www.crystal-parrot.com/Armsheild.html) advertises a protective arm shield with straps that secure the band to the person's arm and which includes a perch for a bird. The arm shield, however, is secured to the person's lower arm which may be an awkward position for holding the bird. That is, the person must hold his or her arm away from his or her body which may become uncomfortable after a period of time.
Therefore, a need exists for a perch for a bird that may be worn by a person in a safe and comfortable manner.